The 26 weeks is standard but there can be extensions during high unemployment periods. Right now though we're not in one of those situations. Also be careful about any side work or part-time income - you have to report ALL earnings on your weekly claims or you could face an overpayment demand later.

William, I went through this same situation 2 years ago when I got laid off from my job in Albany. The 26 weeks really is the standard limit, but don't panic - you can make it work if you're strategic. Since you have 8 years of work history, you should qualify for a decent weekly benefit amount. My advice is to start your job search immediately but also consider this an opportunity to upskill. You can take online courses or attend workshops that count toward your work search requirements. I found that networking events and industry meetups were great for both meeting the requirements and actually finding leads. With your manufacturing background, there might be good opportunities in the growing renewable energy sector in NY. Stay organized with your job search log and don't miss any weekly certifications - that's crucial.

honestly the whole system is such a mess, they should just be able to look this stuff up automatically instead of making us hunt for random numbers

You can also try checking any tax documents you might have received from your employer, like a W-2 or 1099 if you have one from previous years. Sometimes the EAN appears on those forms. If you're still stuck, another option is to visit your local NYS Department of Labor office in person - they can often help you locate your employer's information more quickly than trying to get through on the phone. Don't stress too much about it though, as others mentioned they can usually figure it out from just the business name and address during processing.

Have you checked if theres any system maintenance going on? Sometimes they do updates and it messes with logins. Might be worth waiting a day or two to see if it resolves itself.

Hey Fatima! I went through this exact same thing a few months ago. Here's what finally worked for me: try using the "Account Recovery" option instead of just "Forgot Password." It's usually a separate link on the login page. You'll need to provide your SSN and answer some security questions, but it should let you update your phone number without needing access to the old one. Also, make sure you're using the exact same browser you originally set up your account with - the system sometimes gets picky about that. Good luck, and don't give up! 🤞

Update: I called DOL again today and specifically asked about the Combined Wage Claim that someone mentioned here. The rep knew exactly what I was talking about and said that's what I need! She's starting that process now and said it typically takes 2-3 weeks to get the wage information from my employer's state. I also uploaded all my paystubs and W-2s to my online account and labeled them as "Out of State Employer Wage Verification" as suggested. Thanks everyone for your help with this!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! I work remotely for a Texas-based company but live in Buffalo. When I filed my claim last month, NY had no record of my wages either - only my weekend gig at a local restaurant showed up. The DOL rep I spoke with explained that this happens because employers often don't realize they need to report wages to both their home state AND the state where the employee actually works. I had to submit 18 months of paystubs (they wanted more than just 12 months in my case). The good news is that once you get the Combined Wage Claim process started like you did, it really does move along. I'm about 2 weeks into my wage investigation and they told me I should hear back within the next week or so. Keep certifying weekly and don't get discouraged - you'll get your benefits, it just takes longer with out-of-state employers!

good point about keeping records. i always screenshot my weekly claim confirmations just in case

Just wanted to share my experience - I had a similar situation last year. You definitely want to file that final weekly claim and report your new job start date and expected earnings. I reported everything properly and had no issues. The system automatically closed my claim after I stopped filing. One tip: if you're starting on a Monday, that counts as working during that benefit week, so make sure to report it even though you'll only work a few days. Better to over-communicate with NYS DOL than leave them guessing why you stopped filing.